Shutterstock video requirements

File, length and codecs

Shutterstock takes video in a .mov or .mp4 container, up to 10 GB per file. Clips run from 5 to 60 seconds, in horizontal or vertical orientation.

With a codec list this broad, check the other settings first: a frame rate outside the list, a clip rendered at an odd size by an editing preset, or a color profile left in LOG. Shutterstock prefers Rec. 709, so grade LOG footage before export.

One older article disagrees on size. Shutterstock's noise and artifacts article (22 April 2025) still asks you to stay under a 4 GB limit, while the technical requirements page, updated on 17 December 2025, says 10 GB. Follow the technical page.

Accepted resolutions

Shutterstock publishes a closed list of resolutions. A clip at any other size has to be cropped or scaled to one of these before upload.

Framing, length and audio rejections

Shutterstock's help center gives a precise rule for each of these three video rejections.

Black bars

Shutterstock rejects letterboxing, pillarboxing and matting. The only exception is pillarbox on archival footage. If you shot a wider aspect ratio for the look, crop to an accepted resolution instead of adding bars.

Clips under 5 seconds

A clip shorter than 5 seconds is accepted only when it loops without a visible jump or shows a complete transition. Otherwise, keep at least 5 seconds of usable footage.

Audio

Shutterstock rejects a clip for audio when it contains any of these:

• sound added in post-production;
• copyrighted music or sound effects;
• dialogue.

A commercial clip in which someone can be heard speaking needs a model release from that person. The simplest fix for most clips is to export without audio.

For the full list across agencies, see why stock footage gets rejected.

Description, keywords and categories

Shutterstock treats some practices as keyword or title spamming: the same word or word stem repeated in the title or across keywords ("run, running, runner"), a title that repeats words or phrases from the description, and keywords that do not describe what is in the clip. Since an irrelevant keyword counts as spam, stop once the clip is described: you do not need all fifty.

On length, the metadata standards (26 February 2026) allow 2,048 characters, but the article on preparing uploads for submission (9 February 2026) says the editor caps the description at 150. One sentence under 150 characters passes both.

To check a description and keyword list against these limits before upload, use the free title and keyword checker. For writing them, see how to keyword stock footage.

Model and property releases

• Any recognizable person in a commercial clip needs a model release. For a minor, a parent or guardian signs.
• Footage shot on private property needs a property release signed by the owner.
• Releases go up as JPEG files, one per person, with a handwritten signature and dates in the Gregorian calendar.
• Release forms in a language other than English are accepted only on forms from Shutterstock, Getty Images, iStock, Adobe or Easy Release.
• Editorial clips do not need releases, but they cannot be used commercially.

In depth: when a clip needs a release.

Uploading and limits

You can upload in the browser or over FTPS, which Shutterstock recommends for large video volumes: server ftps.shutterstock.com, port 21, explicit FTP over TLS. Files sent by FTPS can take up to 72 hours to appear in your account.

Metadata can go in at the same time through a CSV file, uploaded after the clips. The columns and the order that works are in the Shutterstock CSV guide.

In depth: how to upload video to Shutterstock, step by step.

AI-generated video

Shutterstock does not accept AI-generated content from contributors. Adobe Stock does, under conditions. The full comparison is on the AI video policies page.

What Shutterstock pays for video

Shutterstock pays a share of each license that grows with the number of video licenses you sell in the calendar year. The count goes back to zero on January 1.

To turn these levels into a yearly estimate, try the earnings calculator, or compare with Adobe Stock in Shutterstock vs Adobe Stock for video.